


we were high before the night started kicking in

by apostated



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 09:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13164198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apostated/pseuds/apostated
Summary: “Sounds like it’s coming from the wardrobe,” he mused, taking another swig of his drink.  “And I know it’s no damn ghost, ‘cause you’re the only thing haunting this piece of shit manor, Moony,” he grinned at Remus who grinned back, his curiosity piqued by the noise coming from the bedroom opposite.Remus pulled his wand out of his robes and set the bottle down to rest with the others they had polished off, pushing himself up off of the worn floor.  “Shall we investigate, Padfoot?”





	we were high before the night started kicking in

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this like 50 years ago and found it on my laptop; just some Pre-Wolfstar Wolfstar fluff

 

“What the hell was that?” Sirius asked, sitting up from the tattered sofa from which he had been lounging, a bottle of butterbeer dangling lazily from between his fingers.The rattling sounded again and Remus cocked his head, as though trying to pinpoint the sound. 

“I haven’t the foggiest,” Remus told him as he took another drink of his own, his insides warming considerably.They had taken shelter in the Shack from the cold and snow now swirling outside in the village while the rest of their classmates vied for either mulled wine or a pint of butterbeer of their own.It was near the full moon and Remus found he didn’t have the energy to continue trudging about in the freezing weather, so Sirius had carefully snuck them away to the Shrieking Shack to spend the afternoon until they were required to come back up to the castle.He’d filched enough of the butterbeer for Peter and James but James was chasing Lily and Peter…well, Remus wasn’t entirely sure he was up to; he’d simply waved good-bye to them outside Zonko’s and told them he might join them later.

Sirius scowled as the racket continued; he leaned forward on his elbows, turning his head to the bedroom across the hall.“Sounds like it’s coming from the wardrobe,” he mused, taking another swig of his drink.“And I know it’s no damn ghost, ‘cause you’re the only thing haunting this piece of shit manor, Moony,” he grinned at Remus who grinned back, his curiosity piqued by the noise coming from the bedroom opposite.

Remus pulled his wand out of his robes and set the bottle down to rest with the others they had polished off, pushing himself up off of the worn floor.“Shall we investigate, Padfoot?”

“Never could turn down any sort of potential adventure and danger,” Sirius let out a bark of laughter, pulling out his own wand and nestling his bottle of butterbeer securely between the cushion and the back of the sofa.He stood and stretched for a moment before clapping Remus on the shoulder and leading the way, his stride confident and almost lazy.Neither boy really suspected anything of great danger to be inside the Shack; after all, nothing was more dangerous than the sandy-haired youth that walked behind his friend once a month, and, as they entered the room to find the wardrobe shaking violently, Remus chewed his lip in thought, more curious than fearful.

He turned to Sirius, his wand aimed at the wardrobe.“A boggart,” he told his friend.“They like dark, enclosed spaces, especially in old places like this.We were talking about them in Defence last week, remember?”

Clearly, he did, and Sirius scowled at the wardrobe in front of them, his wand hand never moving.“You ever dealt with one?Regulus had one in his trunk once but mother had someone else deal with it, so I’m no expert.”

“Not outside of a textbook,” Remus confessed.“I mean, I know the spell that sort of gets rid of them and it’s better to have loads of people around so you can get an advantage; confuses it, you know, and the wizard gains the upper hand because it doesn’t know what to change into.Have I ever come face-to-face with one?Ah—no.To be honest, I’m not even really sure what my boggart would be…”

It was half a lie; Remus was afraid of quite a few things, but only one thing was obvious in his mind — snarling, growling, blinding pain, an absence of his sense of self or humanity…and the thirst for blood…

He swallowed, giving Sirius a grim smile as his friend raised an eyebrow.Remus thought that Sirius’s thoughts must be along the same train as his own; after all, between his three friends, it was common knowledge about his biggest fear.But he was still uncertain how it would manifest.Would it be the moon, starting the change within himself?A mirror, reflecting him as just a monster?The beast itself?His wand hand shook slightly as he thought about it.

“You know the spell to stop it?” Sirius asked him softly, breaking into his thoughts.Remus gave him a curt nod, grateful for the distraction.

“ _Riddikulus,_ ” he told Sirius matter-of-factly as the wardrobe shuttered ever more.“But that won’t finish the damn thing alone.Laughter is what really does it.You’ve got to know what you’re afraid of and then make it funny so that it no longer feeds off of your fear…”

He trailed off as he ran his free hand through his hair.“That said…which of us is going to tackle it?”

“You,” Sirius told him with no hesitation as Remus gave him a look that was equal parts horror and extreme irritation.He supposed that it was because Sirius didn’t wish for him to see what his own boggart might be; it was far easier to guess Remus’ and to figure out how to get rid of it.And he knew his best friend could be rather private.

“There’s that Gryffindor chivalry,” he mumbled sarcastically but he rolled his eyes and began cuffing the sleeves of his button up, pushing them up to his elbows. 

Remus closed his eyes, flitting through all the scenarios in his head.The moon — he could pop it like a balloon.The wolf — chasing its tail like a puppy or begging for treats.The mirror — well, he hoped it definitely wasn't that.

“Ready?” Sirius asked him and Remus opened his eyes, giving him a nod.Sparks flew from Sirius’ wand and the old, moldy wardrobe creaked open.Remus could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he looked around before he saw it — a silvery orb shining near the ceiling.He felt his pupils dilate as his mind recalled memories of the monthly torment.He could feel it in his muscles, in his joints, his teeth…he could feel his senses heightening and his mouth began to water as he could feel the panic begin to build as well.

“Remus—” Sirius’s voice was uncertain as Remus stared.He was going to change, he knew it.Change.Attack Sirius. _Bite Sirius._ He wanted to flee; he could feel the strain in his muscles, his entire being telling him to run, run away before he did something bad, before he became the monster but he couldn’t move, he couldn’t flee — he was stuck to the floor, as immovable as a statue while the false moon shone its judgment on his face.“ ** _Remus_**.”

The utterance of his name again brought him back to his senses; he bellowed the spell, watched as the boggart became a punctured balloon, swirling and whistling around their heads.Sirius let out a bark of laughter as Remus found himself laughing almost hysterically before it dissolved with a loud ‘crack’ into a wisp of smoke.

Remus backed up until the backs of his knees hit the ruined bed behind him.He shakily sank onto the edge as he finally allowed himself to lower his wand; he stared at the floor, feeling far more exhausted than he supposed he should.He felt the mattress sink with Sirius’ weight as his friend sat beside him.

“You alright?” 

“Hm? Ah. Yes.Yes, I’m fine.”He felt his voice was far more strained than it ought to be as he turned to look at him.“Well, no, I’m not, but I will be.Preferably after a strong cup of tea or some chocolate.But I will be.”

Sirius looked uncertain before he wrapped an arm around the smaller boy’s shoulders, giving him a reassuring squeeze.“Full moon, then?”

“So it would seem.”


End file.
